Final Environmental Impact Report - Whittier Bridge/I-95 ...

Mayor Thatcher w. Kezer III
Town Hall, 62 Friend Street
Amesbury, MA 01913-2884
Amesbu
(978) 388-8121
Fax: (978) 388-6727
mayor@amesburyma.gov
December 22, 2011
Ms. Pamela S. Stephenson, Division Administrator
Federal Highway Administration
55 Broadway, 10 th Floor
Cambridge, MA 02142
Re:
Whittier Bridge Environmental Assessment (EA) - Draft Environmental Impact Report
(DEIR)
The City ofAmesbury has completed an initial review ofthe Environmental Assessment (EA) ­
Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Whittier Bridge 1-95 Improvement Project
proposed by MassDOT and the Federal Highway Administration and has the following
comments:
1. The City ofAmesbury has informed MassDOT and representatives ofthe Accelerated Bridge
Program that the area bounded by 1-495, 1-95, and Route 110, referred to as the Golden
Triangle, is of critical importance to Amesbury's future development. Any expansion or
improvements to 1-95 must not impact that area as it is a state designated 40R priority
development site. Ofparticular concern are drainage impacts to the existing wetlands in the
Golden Triangle. The city had been informed by MassDOT that drainage from the 1-95
corridor (Exit 58 in Amesbury to the intersection of1-495 and 1-95 in Salisbury) drained into
wetlands in Salisbury, thereby alleviating Amesbury's concerns regarding any impacts ofthe
proposed project to Amesbury residents and the Golden Triangle. However, the DEIR
indicates that most, ifnot all, ofthe drainage from 1-95 in the aforementioned area runs into
land in Amesbury through a constricted pipe and stone box culvert at 289 Elm Street, through
a constricted box culvert at Macy Street (Route 110), through a culvert at Rocky Hill Road
and then down to the confluence ofthe Powow and Merrimack Rivers. Although the DEIR
indicates that all peak flows will be attenuated by Stormwater Management BMP's for the
area, significant flooding concerns exists at 289 Elm Street as well as the vacant properties
downstream of the culvert due to the 250/0-30% increase in the volume of water from the
additional impervious area within tlie 1-95 corridor. The city requests a review of this
watershed; this would include reviews of the capacities at all of the downstream structures
(Elm Street, Macy Street, and Rocky Hill Road) and include all possible watershed areas that
direct water to this area from the east side of the 1-95 corridor that was previously not
accounted for in the MassDOT NOI submitted for the temporary repairs to the 289 Elm